Med Mile Mini

MedMileMini is a personal project that started as a class assignment at KCAD. Mini of Grand Rapids partnered with Kendall College of Art and Design to have a contest for the best Mini art car design. I ended up winning and the prize was having the designs printed and entered into ArtPrize. It was featured downtown Grand Rapids at the B.O.B.

In designing the piece, i wanted something that meant something to Grand Rapids, was interesting to a range of age groups, and got people to interact with the car. I realized that Grand Rapids is primarily known for two things: ArtPrize and the Medical Mile. What better way to show off a city with turning the car into a big x-ray?

Besides the wrap, I created an augmented reality app using Aurasma that when held up to the car superimposed animations of a beating heart over the driver’s skeleton, the lungs of the dog, etc. I also created graphics of a manhole with a hard hat wearing skeleton climbing out and a banner explaining how to download the app.

The car was also featured at the Grand Rapids Auto Show. In 2011, it was shown as simply the concept along with many other student’s designs and won the People’s Choice Award. In 2012, the actual wrapped car was displayed and got a lot of attention. The car was also a big draw at the Mini Takes the States Rally in Chicago that year.

It was really exciting to be able to create such a dynamic installation and have so much creative freedom.